EVTV to move headquarters to Houston, Texas

One of the city’s newest industries is moving its corporative headquarters out of Osceola to Houston, Texas.

In a press release last week, Jason Maddox, President and Interim CFO of Envirotech, said relocating to Houston is a “natural step.”

EVTV moved its headquarters to Osceola about three years ago. The company announced in Feb. 2022 it had purchased a 580,000 square foot manufacturing facility, located at 1425 Ohlendorf Road, and “expected to create more than 800 jobs” as well as additional indirect jobs in Mississippi County.

Phillip Oldridge, Chief Executive Officer of EVTV, told The Times, “The fact that you have two major interstate highways nearby, access to a major rail line, and the ability to get things to the sea by the Mississippi River... All are a plus.”

In March 2022, the company announced they had received a manufacturing license from the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission.

In April 2022, Oldridge hosted an event at its Osceola facility, the city-owned old Fruit of the Loom building. According to records with the Mississippi County Assessor’s office, the building was never purchased by EVTV and, in fact, is still owned by the city today.

At the time, Oldridge said, “Today’s event is a great reminder that, as our company continues to progress through this new journey, we are thankful for all of the support we have received from community and business leaders across the state who believe in our expertise and mission. Our facility will not only do great things for our company but also the local economy in Mississippi County and surrounding areas as we provide more jobs and more revenue generation for the state.”

Oldridge concluded with the words, “Pretty soon this building will be filled with employees who will live in the area as we move our headquarters to Osceola.”

At the time, Oldridge introduced Susan Emry, executive vice-president of the company, who would head up the facility. Emry and her family did move to Osceola from California and purchase several properties. However, she resigned from the company in 2024.

While the press release states EVTV will “retain its Osceola facility”, nwaonline.com reported the company had answered an email inquiry by stating, “Envirotech intends to continue manufacturing at the Osceola site at this time.”

Last week’s press release states:

Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. (NASDAQ:EVTV), a leading provider of electric commercial vehicles, recently announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters and the establishment of a new 86,000-square-foot facility in Houston, Texas. This strategic move reinforces Envirotech's commitment to expanding U.S. manufacturing, strengthening fleet services, and supporting the growing demand for commercial electric vehicles (EVs). Envirotech plans to open its new corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in the first quarter of 2025.

The new Houston headquarters and manufacturing facility will serve as a centralized hub for corporate leadership, manufacturing, fleet sales, engineering, and service operations, positioning Envirotech for continued growth and long-term success in the commercial EV market.

Envirotech will retain its existing Osceola, Arkansas facility.

Envirotech's decision to move to Houston is driven by:

• Strategic Location for Fleet Expansion - Houston's major port, highway infrastructure, and access to fleet customers make it a prime location for scaling commercial EV operations.

•Access to Top Talent - Houston is home to one of the largest pools of engineering, logistics, and manufacturing professionals in the U.S., ensuring a highly skilled workforce for Envirotech's growth.

•Pro-Business Climate - Texas offers a business-friendly tax structure, including no state corporate income tax, making it an ideal location for corporate and operational expansion. Governor Greg Abbott continues to strengthen Texas as a pro-business state.

•Growing Demand for Commercial EVs - Texas is a national leader in fleet electrification and is home to many of the largest logistics, industrial, and transportation companies in the country.

"Relocating to Houston is a natural step in our evolution," said Jason Maddox, President and Interim CFO of Envirotech."This move strengthens our ability to support commercial fleet customers nationwide, expand our presence in key EV markets, and attract top industry talent. With a strong infrastructure and a growing demand for electric commercial vehicles, Houston positions Envirotech for long-term success."

Inquires by The Times had not been answered by EVTV officials at press time Tuesday.